1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to recoil reduction devices for guns and, more particularly, to a recoil reduction lock that prevents a recoil reduction device from operating until the gun is discharged. Specifically, the present invention relates to a recoil reduction lock for a shotgun stock that prevents a recoil reduction device from compressing until an inertia lock is released by the exploding shell.
2. Background Information
When a gun is to be fired, the user brings the butt of the gun up to his shoulder so that a firm surface is provided to support the gun. The firing of the weapon produces a recoil that is mostly transmitted back into the shooter""s shoulder. Sport shooters who shoot hundreds or thousands of shells each month desire to reduce this recoil force by outfitting their guns with recoil reduction devices.
Many different types of recoil reduction devices are known in the art. These devices include mechanisms having a spring extending between the body and butt of the gun. The spring is configured to absorb a portion of the recoil when a shell is discharged. The problem with this type of mechanism is that the user often unintentionally compresses the spring as he snaps the gun up to his shoulder. The unintentional compression is often experienced by trap, skeet, and sporting clays sportsmen. The compression of the spring at this stage is undesirable because the user does not achieve a tight, secure mount against his shoulder. In addition, the unintentional compression of the spring can reduce the effectiveness of the recoil reduction device.
One such mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,917 granted to Dilhan. This patent discloses the use of a honeycomb type of shock absorber which collapses as the launch cylinder moves rearwardly after the projectile is launched. Vironda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,589, discloses the use of an inertia member positioned in a gun stock and held in place by a magnet. The system includes a check valve and spring to rapidly re-position the inertia member so that additional shells can be shot from the gun. Heitz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,789 discloses the use of a locking mechanism which aids in absorbing the recoil energy from the discharge of the gun.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,833 granted to Paterson on May 2, 1995, which patent is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a mechanism for absorbing the energy from the recoil of a gun by using parallel compression struts which are mounted between the body and butt of the gun. One of the struts includes a cylinder which is connected at one end to the butt of the gun. A shaft, which is connected at one end to the body of the gun, is receivable within the cylinder. A moveable plug is further included in the cylinder and the plug includes a strut which is adapted for longitudinal axial movement within the cylinder. A plurality of compressible disc-shaped springs are disposed in the cylinder between the plug and the butt of the gun. The springs are coaxially disposed in the shaft, around the strut, so that as the strut moves within the cylinder the strut can reciprocate through the central apertures of the spring. As the gun fires, the butt of the gun is compressed against the user""s shoulderxe2x80x94telescoping the shaft further inside the cylinder. This compresses the springs, thereby absorbing the recoil energy.
The invention provides a recoil reduction lock for a gun that prevents a recoil reduction device from compressing until the shell is discharged. The lock is adjustable so that it may be used with different gun stocks. The lock may be configured to work with a wide variety of existing recoil reduction devices.
The invention provides an inertia lock that prevents a gun stock from collapsing until the discharge of a shell moves the inertia lock to an unlocked position. The inertia lock rapidly returns to its resting position enabling the gun to be rapidly fired again.